Big Brands Notice Social Gaming

July 27, 2010 · Posted by Wanda Cadigan · 1 Comment· 0 Links to this post

When you think about the online gaming community, you may think about the traditional demographic of young males playing Xbox or PlayStation. However there is a new growing segment that is making big brands take notice – the ‘casual’ player. Social gaming is the fastest-growing segment in the video game business right now, its growth spurred on no doubt by popularity of social networking sites. Even as retail video game sales have declined over the past year, a growing number of people have been playing, and spending money on, social and casual games on the Internet and mobile phones.  Whil...

Fashion Magazines Offer Advertisers New Ways to Reach Readers

July 23, 2010 · Posted by Melany Gallant · 0 Comments· 0 Links to this post

Some fashion magazines are using multi-media and mobile technologies to create additional opportunities to help advertisers reach consumers via Web and mobile platforms. According to a recent article by Lauren Indvik at Mashable.com, fashion magazines lost nearly a quarter of their ad pages in 2009. In response, some fashion magazines are looking to use Web and mobile offerings to update their business model, making it more relevant to how advertisers want to reach consumers. Indvik provides some great examples of how some leading fashion magazines are embracing digital offerings to attrac...

Social Tools Influence Online Purchases

July 16, 2010 · Posted by Antonella Pannizzo · 0 Comments· 0 Links to this post

Social tools have become an important part of a retailer’s online strategy. It’s an exciting new way to engage customers. For the consumer it’s a way to share their online experiences. The Facebook ‘Like’ button has proven to be a popular tool with sites like Levis, who were one of the first to implement the button to their product pages. A recent eMarketer  post "Online Merchants Love Facebook’s 'Like’ ", states:   35% of online marketers responsible for social marketing or ecommerce have already implemented Facebook’s “like” plug-in, and another third plan to do so. Researc...

The Evolution of Loyalty Programs

July 2, 2010 · Posted by Antonella Pannizzo · 0 Comments· 0 Links to this post

The rapid adoption of location based services such as Foursquare, Gowalla, etc, provides indication that both users and businesses see the potential benefits of such services, specifically around loyalty.A new site launched recently called Topguest, gives you real reward points from some of your favorite travel reward programs. Topguest works with sites like Foursquare, Google Latitude, Google Buzz, Gowalla, Loopt, Brightkite and Yelp to reward your geo–check in. For instance, if you check in to a hotel, rent a car or board a plane you can earn points from their respective loyalty programs....

Ratings & Reviews: Harnessing the “Amazon Effect”

June 23, 2010 · Posted by Melany Gallant · 0 Comments· 0 Links to this post

Offering a ratings and review system on your e-commerce site can be an effective way to get your customers to champion your brand. It also offers you the opportunity to actively engage those customers in dialogue about what they like, and what they dislike, about your products and services. For SEO purposes, ratings and reviews also keep your web content fresh and can help generate conversions. Over on SmashingMagazine.com, Rung András discusses (with some great examples) how adding user feedback to your e-commerce site is an effective way to facilitate customer engagement, build brand loya...

The 'Mass Mingling' Trend - What it Means for Brands

June 15, 2010 · Posted by Melany Gallant · 0 Comments· 0 Links to this post

According to a recent study by trendwatching.com, interacting with others online using web-based and mobile devices isn't turning us into isolated, "anti-social zombies" that many sociologists and pundits proclaimed and predicted. Rather these tools are providing opportunities for richer connections both online and in the real world. Dubbing it "mass mingling" trendwatching.com states, Thanks to the online revolution, hundreds of millions are now actively searching for, finding, connecting/signaling, and staying in touch with likeminded souls in the virtual world. Cons...

Confessions from a Foursquare User

June 2, 2010 · Posted by Wanda Cadigan · 1 Comment· 0 Links to this post

I’ve written about foursquare here before from a business perspective and how it could be used as a tool to improve customer loyalty. But today’s post is purely from a personal point of view. My name is Wanda and I am a foursquare user. It all happened innocently enough really. Keeping up with new technologies and trends is part of the gig. I figured I should start using foursquare to learn more about it and experience it from the point of view of a consumer. It wasn’t onerous - a simple tap on my iPhone would associate me with a particular location or business. I told myself I’d try it f...

Social Media and "CEO Moms"

May 18, 2010 · Posted by Melany Gallant · 0 Comments· 0 Links to this post

Back in January, we reported on a study by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) indicating the best way for retailers to reach moms is through social media. While moms are busy, the study indicated that they rely on the connections they make through social networking to share experiences and information and to seek product advice. The opportunity for retailers to engage moms through social media is huge - if done correctly. Earlier this month, Burst Media, a leading provider of advertising representation, services and technology to independent web publishers, introdu...

Linking Digital Displays to Social Commerce

May 13, 2010 · Posted by Melany Gallant · 0 Comments· 0 Links to this post

Some brands are using digital displays to create a customer experience that enables everyday shoppers to have their photo taken in-store and then displayed on screen with a short message for all to see. One great example is American Eagle Outfitters. At its flagship retail store in Times Square, American Eagle is offering customers their "15 seconds of fame" by displaying customer pictures on huge LED screens facing Times Square. Since Times Square is a New York landmark with a multitude of advertisements competing for attention, the idea here is to attract customers, tourists...

CPGs Get Serious Online

May 12, 2010 · Posted by Wanda Cadigan · 0 Comments· 0 Links to this post

eMarketer recently published a report on CPGs growing strength online. While some consumer goods companies famously entered the fray (and failed miserably) during the 90’s dotcom boom, many are now finding their stride online. The report states that online CPG sales now stand at $12 billion; that’s triple what they were in 2004 according to Nielsen. By 2012, online CPG sales are expected to hit $16 billion, which would account for more than 3% of the total $475 billion in e-commerce sales projected for that year. Those CPGs leading the online charge recognize the shift away from what Proc...

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